Figure wheeled toy



March 5, 1929. w. J. ROST 1,704,019

FIGURE WHEELED TOY Filed May ,7 1928 Patented Mar. 5, 1929.

isits STAT \VILLIAM J. HOST, OF CANTON, OHIO, A

COMPANY, OF CANTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION" OF OHIO rare memes.

- FIGURE WHEELEDTOY. 1

Application filed. May 8,

My invention relates to toy figures, and more particularly to toyfigures of animals and the like, arranged to simulate natural movementswhen propelled across the surface of a floor, table-top, or the like.

Toy figures of many descriptions have been proposed in which the legs ofthe figures are arranged to move; but the natural move;

ments of'the various species and varieties of animals when walking andrunning, include different kindsof movements of body parts,simultaneously with the leg movements.

The running movement of a rabbit, for example, is characterized by an upand down movement of the head and forelegs with respect to the torso,and by movement of the hind legs forward and to the rear withrespect tothe torso, and by relatively slight oscillations of the torso withrespect to the horizontal, all the movements multaneously with eachother,

Accordingly the objects of the present imoccurring siprovements includethe. provision of a me-' chanical toy figure of an animal, arranged tobe propelled by movement across a flat surface, so that the head andfront legs, the

torso, and the hind legs will all have move: ments relative to eachother and to the hori zontal, and will simulate the running movements ofa liveanimal. I

These and ancillary objects are attained in the present improvements bya novel construction and arrangement which will be hereinafter set forthin detail and claimed. Although the present improvements may be utilizedto provide animal figures of any desired species or variety; forexample, a preferred embodiment of the invention in which the figuresimulated is that of a rabbit, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary top planview of a mechanical toy rabbit figure embodying thepresentimprovements;

Fig. 2, an elevation view of one side there of, with portions brokenaway, the movable parts thereof being located in one of the positionsassumed thereby when the toy is in use; and d Fig. 3, a similar View,with the movable parts thereof in another of the positions assumedthereby when the toy is in use.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

1928. Serial No. 21 6929.

The improvedtoy rabbit figure indicated r at 10, includes a torso'member11 generally which may be profile cut from laterally spaced sheet metalplates 12 and 12, con nectedwat their upper edges by a laterally andlongitudinally extending strip 13, thus forming a U shaped torso memberwhich may be formed and bent from an integral piece of sheet metal. s

Ar head memberld which maybe profile cut from a wooden board of suitablethickness, is interposed between and preferably connected with the frontends of the torso member plates, as by means of a tubular rivet 15, andforelegs 16 and ltimay be securedat a suitable locational: each side ofthe head member, the 'forelegs preferably each have the same profile asthe other, and may be cut or blanked from sheet metal, and secured tothe head, as by means of a tubular rivet 17. v i

Hind leg and tail member plates 18 and 18, preferably eachhaving thesame profile as the other, and which may be cut'or blanked from sheetmetal, are connected attheir upper ends by' means of a laterally andlona U shaped pair of legs and a tail which may be formed and bent froman: integral piece of sheetmetal.

The hind leg and tail member plates 18 an d 18 are interposed betweenthctorsomember, plates 12 and 12, and are pivotally connected, therewith.at a suitable location as by means of a tubular rivet 20.

Intermediate the front rivet 15 and the rear rivet 20, a torso membersupporting pivot rivet 21 is provided,.and'the ends thereof arejournalled in bearing loops 22 and 22 formed respectively at the of apair of bent wires 23 and 23, constituting a supporting frame 2 1 forthe toy, the rear ends ofthe wires being twisted t ')gether to'form arear angled handle extremity 25.

Intermediate the handle extremity 25 and the upper bearings 22 and 22,the wires are angled and bent to form a pair of laterally spaced bearingloops 26 and 26, are jo'urnalled portions of a crank axle 27, whichcarries at its outer ends laterally spaced wheels 28 and 28, and hasformed in its central portion a crank 29.

A forward connecting rod is pivotally outer extre 'nities in which I andis pivotally connected at its upper end as at 35 with the head 14,preferably at the rear of the pivot rivet 1 A rear connecting rod 31 ispivo-tally connected at its lower end with the crank 29, and ispivotally connected at its upper end as 32, with the hind leg and tailmember plates 18 and 18, preferably below and at the rear of the pivotrivet 20.

Thus the head member lei, and the integral hind legs are each provided wan independent connecting rod connection witl the cranlr 29, and thetorso member is itself supported for oscillation on the frame 24 by thepivot rivetQl; whereby the head member and lmelegs, the hind leg member,and the torso member, are each oscillated simultaneously with eachother, w ion the wheels 28 and 28 rest upon the surface 33 oi: a flooror the like, and the toy is pushed across the floor as by means of ahandle 3i secured upon the handle extremit- 1 25.

Several parts of the toy rabbit ligure are accordingly given movementsvery similar to the movements ofa live rabbit in running. An outwardlyprojecting lug 86 is preferably provided at each side of the wires 23and 23 below the pivot rivet 21, to limit the oscillation of the torsomember 11.

I claim:

1. A figure toy including a torso member, a head member, and a hind legmember, means pivotally mounting the head member on the torso memberatone end thereof, means pivotally mounting the hind leg member on thetorso member at the other end thereof, a frame, means pivotally mountingthe torso member on the frame, an axle journaled in the frame, a crankon the axle, a connecting rod pivotally connected at one end with thecrank and at the other end with the head memher, and another connectingrod pivotally connected at one end with the crank and at the other endwith the hind leg member.

2. A figure toy including a frame, a torso member pivoted intermediateits ends to the iii-nine, a head men'iber, tliih a hind member, meanspivotally mounting the head member on the torso member at one endthereof, means pivotally mounting the hind leg member on the torsomember at the other end thereof, an axle iournuled in the framesubstantially directly below the torso member pivotal point, a crank onthe axle, a connecting rod pivotally connected at one end with the crankand at theother end with the head member, and another connecting rodpivotally connected at one end with the crank and at the other end-withthe hind leg member.

3. A figure toy including a torso member, a head member, and hind legmember, means pivotally mounting the head member on the torso member atone end thereof, means pivotally mounting the hind leg member on thetorso member at the other end thereof, a frame, means .pivotallymounting the torso member on the frame, an axle journaled in the frame,a crank on the arle, a connecting rod pivotally connected at crank andat the other end with the head member, another :inecting rod pivotallyconnected at one dwith the crank and at h the hind leg member, and

the other end wi means actuated by moving contactwith a surface forrotating the axle thereby operating the connecting rods to oscillate thehead and hind leg members about their pivotal mountings, and theoscillation of the head and hind leg members impating an oscillatingmovement to the torso member about its pivotal mounting.

4;. A figure toy including a tors) member, a he d member, and a hind legmember, means piv ly mounting the head member on the torso member at oneend thereof, means pivotally mounting the hind leg member on the torsomember atthe other end thereof, a frame, means pivotally mounting thetorso member on the frame, an axle journalcd in the frame, a crank onthe axle, a connecting rod pivotally connected at one end-with the crankand at the other end with the head member, another connecting rodpivotally connected at one end with the crank and at the other end withthe hind leg member, means actuated by moving contact with a surface tor rotating the'axie thereby operating the connecting rods to oscillatethe head and hind leg members about their pivotal mountings, and theo:-:cillati0n oi? the head and hind leg men'ibcrs imparting anoscillating movement to the torso member bout its pivotal 'niounting,and means limiting the oscillation of the torso member.

In testimony tired I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed myname.

EVILLIANI J. R(.)ST.

